Echo
by roguewriter62
Summary: It's time for Ryan Beck to take on a new identity. When her apprenticeship with Wonder Woman was interrupted by the Thanagarian war her and some of her new team mates were sent to Earth to round up the other apprentices who were sent to the ground for their own safety so they can now fight back against the invaders.Takes place write after The Apprentice second installment in series
1. Chapter 1

**And I don't want the world to see me**

**cuz I don't think that they'd understand**

**when every things meant to be broken,**

**I just want you to know who I am**

**-Iris (Goo goo dolls)**

**DISCLAIMER I DON'T OWN ANYTHING THIS IS FOR TH ENTIRE STORY**

* * *

Ryan POV

Turns out the justice league owned a few rooms in the hospital local to Gotham. Apparently the league owns a few rooms in hospitals nationwide (A few global) guess the private rooms come in handy, they sure did now.

I was sitting by Dick's bedside we'd been here for two days and he was still unconscious, the doctors the league hired had decided to sedate him to keep him out of pain. Three broken ribs, a sprained wrist, a fractured skull and a collapsed lung. All of that caused Dick's body to go into shock which lead to him having a coronary arrest, which miraculously only lasted a few moments then his heart continued to beat. The doc said if we hadn't gotten Dick to the Hospital when we had, a little longer and he could've died.

I tried to focus on the constant beep of the heart monitoring system, but failed epically. My mind kept going back to the conversation I had had with Artemis earlier that day.

* * *

_"It's a simple procedure. We like to call it 'masking'. Even though its simple, the procedure is advance and well not exactly authorized in the medical field, it's a concept the league invented for people who's identity's had been discovered and needed to disappear and it's our best shot." Artemis said quietly not wanting to be over heard by the other apprentices who were in the lobby of the leagues section of the hospital and were raiding the vending machines. _

_ "We…our best…the best way to do this would be to fake your death prior to the procedure, then once everyone thinks your dead, we can proceed with the masking." I could tell Artemis was extremely uncomfortable talking about this, and I could understand why._

_ "Well…I don't want to put the team in danger again…" I said under my breath even quieter than Artemis, "I…I don't' know Arty, I mean…I know it what's best and I said I would and we're supposed to be hero's right? And hero's are supposed to do what's right but I don't know if I can do it- I…I just want to take some time to think about it a little more…"_

_ "I understand." Artemis said grabbing my hand, "And I don't want you to feel like you have to…I had to go undercover once a few years ago for a mission. I had to become huntress, but this was before masking was a thing so I got a pendant that had a spell on it that disguised me. I wish we could do that for you, but we don't have the pendant any more and Zatanna…she's not going to be casting spells for a while and her father is MIA at the moment." _

_ I sighed I didn't want her pity, I didn't want any one's pity, "I understand, the masking though, is it reversible?" _

_ Artemis looked up to face me dead in the eye, "No. Masking is permanent, but after everything we can give you another procedure where we can re-replicate how you look right now, but then like I said we should fake your death, unless you want to say you've gone into hiding? But if you go with faking your death you'll practically have to live under a rock, because the masking process is extremely classified and we wouldn't want people to know you underwent the procedure. Only the founding 7 and the senior most members know about it. I only know because Dick hacked the system and told Wally, Kaldur and I along with Connor and Megan._

_ "I understand, I just need time to think things over."_

* * *

I grabbed Dick's hand, "I don't know what to do…" I said even though I knew he couldn't hear me, I just wanted to talk to someone about it besides Artemis, and hey he couldn't hear me anyway. "This masking thing, changing who I am, I just don't think I can do it…I know I said I wanted to be a hero, and heroes are all about self sacrifice, but maybe there was a reason I was a villain ya know?" I sniffled, "I just wish you'd wake the hell up so you could tell me what you think, I know getting masked would be for the best but…" a tear fell down my cheek, maybe it was a good thing he was asleep, he'd already seen me cry enough in this life time.

"Don't be ruining your pretty face while you still go it." Dick groaned, "Ass hole!" I screamed joyously as I practically jumped on to him, giving him a hug, "Calm down princess still in pain." He chocked out, though not with out returning the hug, I stood up and smacked his arm, "Don't you dare do that again you- ugg!" I scolded him before hugging him again, "I'll try my best Ry."

When I finally got off of him and sat down I asked him, "So uh, before I knew you were awake…did you hear all that?"

"Yea,,,I did." Dick said trying, and failing to smile, "So you see my dilemma."

"Yea…"

"I should go tell the others you're awake." I said trying to get up. "No." He spoke softly, "Not yet. You obviously want to talk about his, I'm not blind, or deaf for that matter so sit down and let's talk."

I sat back down, "well I think I've made it obvious what I want, but just because it's what I want, doesn't mean it's what I'll do…"

"Just because you won't have your face, doesn't mean you won't be you, ok? You'll still be the same person you are right now." Not only did it sound like he was trying to convince me, but that he was also trying to convince me, but also trying to convince himself.

"But this choice wouldn't just be affecting me, my friends would think I'm dead, how would that affect them? What about Perry? She already thinks I'm knocked up." Dick grinned a little at that memory, "I know it'll be hard, but we, _you_ have to think, do the con's really outweigh the pro's?"

I looked down at our entwined hands, "Yeah, I think I know what I'm going to do, but I was hoping you'd talk me out of it."

"And did I?"

"I don't know. I'm going to go tell everyone your up."

I got up and started walking out of the room, but quickly turned to give him a light peck on the lips, "Thank you for making me talk about this."

He grinned, "That's what annoying boyfriends are for."

I smiled then alerted the others that Dick was awake.

Oooo

Everyone was thrilled to see he was awake, its like all the tension had dissipated and everything was right and everyone was ignoring the fact that we still had a war going on, but given recent events and Dick's return to the land of the living, some celebration was much needed.

Everyone was bringing him food and chatting with him while I stood in the doorway of the very crowded hospital room.

"Dude, what you did was insane!" One apprentice praised him, "Yea I mean, didn't it hurt?" said one girl, "Nah, I'm fine, I mean I wouldn't recommend it, but I'm still alive aren't I?"

"Hardly." Artemis scoffed. Every started laughing, including me, "I am glad you are alright." Kaldur said patting Dick's shoulder then walking towards me, "Can we talk?" he asked quietly. I nodded my head and followed him into the hallway were everyone was previously, Kaldur was quiet for a few moments, "You know his name." He finally said even quieter then before, "Yes." _Crap_ I thought_, when Dick fell I called out to him, Kaldur had heard…they all had._ It's not like I was going to lead Kaldur on, hell I had planned on setting things straight the day after Dick and I made things official, but then the attack happened and the timing never seemed right, "I want to believe that the two of you are just friends, but considering that it took years for Dick to open up to Wally and I about his identity, I highly doubt that is the case."

"Kaldur it was never my intention to lie to you, so right now, I'll be completely honest." I started, I wanted to this to be as painless as possible. "I met Dick on the first day on the ship. And at first I thought he was an arrogant ass, and since I'm being honest I'll even say that I still do." I waited for him to crack a smile…he didn't. "But I don't know after our first fight he…he asked me if I was ok. I know that sounds stupid but after the way I was brought up that little thing meant a lot to me. He was nice to me yet I don't know he's sarcastic and I don't know he gets me! He's tried to help me since I was little and…" I was at a loss for words I really couldn't explain why I liked Dick so much, he was charming and cocky but when you let him show it, he was really sweet, he was able to joke around with me and just keep up with me, I didn't feel like I needed to slow down so he could catch up with me, we were running the same track.

"Then you came along and…I'm not going to lie this was after I was pissed off at Dick and I thought, maybe a change of pace would be a good thing and Kaldur, I loved being with you, you made me happy, and I felt like a huge weight was lifted off my chest." Kaldur smiled at that, "But I realized that the feeling I get when I'm with dick is…its so much more than that, I feel like I'm flying, like I'm secure and safe but there's always something else, something dangerous…I just can't explain it."

"It's called love." Kaldur said with a gravelly voice. "I loved once, her name was Tulia."

"Aqua girl…" I whispered remembering that she had died in an attack.

"Yes and after I joined the Young Justice team and Left Atlantis, she found love with my closest friend, Garth."

I winced I couldn't imagine the pain Kaldur had gone through, "Kaldur I'm sorry you went through that, and I want you to know I really am sorry about this, and as cliché as this sounds, I do hope we can be friends."

Kaldur gave me a small smile, "Of course."

"Thank you." I said giving Kaldur a quick hug.

* * *

It had started storming outside. The rain slammed against the window of Dick's room, I was listening to the sound of the rolling thunder. Dick was sleeping despite his protests of "Ready to get back out on the field".  
"Hey." Artemis said entering the now empty room, after Dick had gone back to sleep every one eventually left. "Hey" I responded solemnly. "Wally is going with some of the others into town find out what's going on with the Thanigarians." Artemis informed me. It was nice to know, but I also knew that small talk wasn't exactly Arty's forte.

"I'm going to do it. I'll do it Arty, so please, just I'm not in the mood right now."

"Oh…ok." Artemis said the rasp in her voice a little stronger than usual. I turned to see that her eyes were getting misty as she stared out the window with me, "I'm sorry." She whispered, "I'm asking you to give up your entire life for the league and your willing to do it just because it's the right thing. Ry you're one of the bravest people I know."

"Brave?" I scoffed, "at first I wasn't going to do it, hell I still can't believe I am, I'm scared out of my mind."

"Ryan, bravery isn't never being afraid, it's being able to recognize your fears and face them."

I smiled weakly, "Well I guess I should start writing out my will, make my criteria for my funeral, which I will be attending, and I do expect to have some say in what I will look like." I said trying to lighten the mood.

Artemis gave a chuckle, "I suppose the will would be a good idea, leave me all the good stuff." She winked at me, "As for the funeral, you can be co planner, I want some say in my dear departed friends last memorial," Artemis continued feigning remorse even wiping a fake tear, I burst out laughing.

"As for the looks," Arty said sobering up, "of course you get a say, this is your body, and you get to choose what to do with it."

"Well that's a relief." I said sarcastically.

"Can I get a say?" Dick mumbled, "Shut up Grayson!" I said throwing an object at him, which he of course caught.

The three of us laughed, then Arty started backing away, "Well I'll let you guys talk some stuff over, I'm going to go check with the ones that are still here."

"See ya Arty." I replied while Dick just waved. When Arty left I walked over to Dick and sat on the edge of his bed, thanks to some healing serum thing that's saved for emergency's that I'm not supposed to know about, Dick's injuries were almost completely healed, just some major bruising and the doctors wanted him on bed rest for another day or two. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me on top of him and I carefully laid my head on his chest as he stroked my hair, "You have to be the one to tell Perry." I told him, "Tell her- tell her I love her ok?" I said tearing up, "Tell her she's my best friend and that I probably would've turned out a lot worse with out her, I plan on writing all this stuff down for you to read at my funeral in a letter ok? Then I want you to give her the letter, ok?"

"I will." Dick responded simply.

"So what's going to be the cover story? How am I going to die?" I asked him trying to sound as calm as possible.

"Perry already thinks you're pregnant. So childbirth?" He offered, "Yeah I guess. I don't have a lot, but Perry gets everything, my money, my stuff, everything. You getting all this?" I checked, "I'll send my lawyer the list." I could tell he wasn't joking though, he would take care of me, he always has and he always will.

* * *

_ After the league kidnapped me they kept me, I don't know how long for, but the kept the bare minimum, feeding me just enough for me to get by, and not giving me anything, just so I couldn't turn something into a weapon, except one person. Robin, he practically saved me hell without him I would've been driven as crazy as my father. Robin found a way to loop video footage of me by myself so he could sneak into my cell undetected, he'd bring me food, not much more but it was something and he'd talk to me, keep me sane, eventually he started brining little things like a deck of cards that he would bring me, but take back when he left. Not only did he keep me alive, he became my friend._

_ For the first month I tried keeping track of the days but it just got harder and harder. And one day Robin didn't visit, "I'm bored!" I called out to the camera's I knew were watching, "Common! Entertain me!" I hollered, there was an explosion and I ran to a corner of the room throwing my arms over my head, in case of rubble. Someone dropped next to me, Robin, "Well you sure know how to deliver…" I grunted getting up, "We're under attack." Robin rushed out grabbing my arm, "M, you can either help us, maybe you'll be forgiven, I think Batman has realized Joker isn't coming for you, or, get out of here, I don't want you to be caught in cross fire." I looked at him, was this, a test? _

_ He took my silence for an answer and looked genuinely upset, "The exit is up the vent shaft go about 30 feet to the left then turn right, take the next two lefts and the third right, is your exit._

_ Robin thought I bolted first chance I got but on my way out I passed a security room were on the screen I saw Robin and the blond bitch in a room filling with water, to this day I doubt they know it wasn't robin that saved them, it was me. I set the room to drain it's self then left, figuring the boy wonder could deal with the two red robots after that._


	2. Chapter 2

**Its been a long day**

**without you my friend**

** and I'll tell you all about it when I see you again.**

**We've come a long way from where we began and I'll**

**tell you all about it when I see you again.**

**\- (Charlie Puth) See you again**

* * *

Ryan POV

I sat in the back. I looked at Dick standing in front of everyone, wearing his black suit and tie, but hey everyone was wearing black, even me, it is a funeral after all. I looked at my surroundings, it was overcast out with grey storm clouds covering the sky, and I smiled the clouds relaxed me, I was terrified someone was going to recognize me somehow even though that's impossible now that I had gone through with the masking.

* * *

_ My eyes burst open as if a bucket of cold water had been dumped on my head I was lying in a bed, and after looking around I realized I was in the room that was in the safe house in Star City. Then I remembered, _The Masking._ I jumped out of bed, and nearly stumbled, I was shorter. I dashed to the mirror that was on top a dresser and looked at my self and nearly collapsed. I had of course known what my new appearance would be although some things I let Artemis decide on just because I couldn't handle thinking about it any more, but knowing and seeing were two completely different things, my hair was now a dark black which I was used to thanks to my previous dye job, but my green eyes were now a beautiful shade of dark blue that was obviously unnatural but hey, if star fire can have orange skin I can have freaky eyes alien or not. My pale skin was now a darker shade, one that was a light caramel almost hazel color, my cheeks weren't as chubby, my lips were thicker and my nose was pointier. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't prettier, but I wasn't me…at least I had 20/20 vision, I really hated contacts._

_ There was a knock at the door and I scrambled to recompose my self then answered the door, on the other side was Dick, "Hi." I said quietly, whoa even my voice was different, lighter. I kept the fake smile on my face, "Drop the act Ry." He said and pushed past me into the room, "Well hello to you to Mr. Sunshine" I closed the door cuz I had a bad feeling about his visit. He was just sitting on the edge of the bed he had healed from his injuries though he was still in a bit of pain not that he liked to admit it, "Why the face?" I questioned he was just…sulking, he ran his fingers through his hair, "I heard you were going to be waking up, so I figured I don't know…I should come see you, well not _you_, but yes it's _you_ but it's not, you're not…you just don't look like you anymore Ry and that's what I expected, but I didn't expect you to look like an…entirely different person…you don't even sound like you…" He didn't look at me the entire time he talked._

_ "Does it bother you? That I don't look like me any more? Is that all that matters how I look?" Honestly I didn't know if I was over reacting or not but didn't he at least stop to think how I was feeling about all this?_

_ "Of course not!" he said, genuinely sounding hurt that I would assume so, "It's just…it's going to take getting used too…for the both of us." He finally looked up and looked me in the eye then stood up and walked to me, grabbing my hands, "None of this has changed how I feel though…" I smiled, a real one, "Good to know."_

* * *

It was time for everyone for everyone to give their little speeches about me and what not this was the part I most looked forward to, and was dreading at the same time. Perry was first, and she looked like a wreck. Her face was dripping with black make up due to tears, which covered the huge bags under her eyes that even I could see from back here, and just seeing her like that made me want to jump up screaming 'I live!' But no, I couldn't.

"Ryan was my best friend…" she chocked out and I shut my eyes, the longest part of my life was about to begin. "We met sophomore year. She was always quiet…we became friends after she beat up a bully that was teasing me about my hair." Ah I remember that day, the bullies name was Rachel and she went home with two black eyes after she teased Perry, "Since that day we stuck like glue. Over time she started talking more, became more well known, but she never left me in the dust. She would always be watching out for me, I would be her first priority which led to her getting in a lot of fights cuz I didn't fit in nearly as well, I definitely didn't make life easy for her, but hey…we were family! Then after school ended, she just fell off the face of the Earth. At first I thought she was just glad to be rid of me, but then realized that was ridiculous, then when I found out she was pregnant, at first I didn't believe her but it made the most sense out of everything else…now I guess I know it's true. This was never the way I expected her to go, maybe through bungee jumping gone wrong, or sky diving, or some spectacular way, never like this…"

After that Perry was crying so hard she couldn't continue, and I felt like shit. I stood up and walked to the podium and hugged her. I know to her I was a complete stranger but she fell into me and sobbed even harder "Shhh" I hushed her, "She wouldn't want to see you like this." I slowly walked her back to her sea and left her with some of our friends and one gave me a thankful smile as I walked back to my seat, Dick nodded his head to me and Artemis offered a smile as I walked past and she got up for her speech.

"I didn't know Ryan very long, only a few months. But she was on of the greatest people I met, yes she was sarcastic and pulled a lot of practical jokes, but that's what made her so special. I'll really miss her and I'm not even going to bother saying she's probably in a better place, the bastards probably parting it up in Hell as we speak." I appreciated the joke and cracked a smile I could even see a few others did too some though just shook their heads, "Yea bad joke but, I think that's what she would've wanted. She wouldn't want us to mourn her death but celebrate her life, so that's what I plan on doing."

She walked back to her seat and I had to hold my self back from applauding, but I don't know what proper funeral protocol is so I stayed silent like everyone else. It was Dick's turn, he returned to his spot at the podium and took a deep breath, he was still wearing his shades despite the light rain that started, "Ryan annoyed me like no one else on this planet." This better get better. "But that's what made her so great. She wasn't afraid to push people, and even when she was afraid, she didn't let people see it, you'd never know what she was really thinking unless you knew what to look for. When I first met her I was…shocked, just by the way she carried herself and when there was an obstacle in her way, she plowed through it, or at least found a way around it." He then looked in the general area of where I was sitting, "I loved her. And I still do." Good thing I didn't have to reply cuz I couldn't even if I wanted to.

* * *

**A/N: sorry for the filler and long wait I love this chapter but as I said its a filler, sorry. My ideas for this story keep changing and when I try to write it all out before hand I'll have a new idea and want to change one little thing which leads to me changing the whole thing. As for new updates, I'm being forced to take an online class (Even though it's summer) so between that and work I'm going to try to actually update more? but hey I'll try cuz I feel horrible with all these huge ass gaps between chapters.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Maybe I'm better off dead**

**Better off dead!**

**Did you hear a word**

**Hear a word I said?**

**This is not where I belong**

**You gonna miss me when I'm gone**

**Gone, gone**

**This is not where I belong**

**You gonna miss me when I'm gone**

**\- Better off dead (sleeping with sirens)**

* * *

Echo 4

The reception was incredibly dull until the Grim Reaper showed up.

I had of course asked Wally to stand in the corner of the room dressed as death himself for a while, because hey it was my funeral and I wanted to lighten the dark mood, because if I ever where gone I wouldn't want to see my friends like this.

A few people busted out laughing, which did make the room feel better others looked with disgust, oh well, some took selfies with Wally. After the ten minutes Wally left then returned in his tux slightly smiling to himself.

"Umm, excuse me?" I turned to see Perry, with her puffy blood shot eyes and tear stained cheeks, "Hi Perry, Ryan has told me a lot about you." I told her solemnly, "W-well I don't think Ryan ever mentioned you so umm who are you?" Perry was nervous, I never thought Perry would be nervous around me, but I wasn't exactly me at the moment, " I was Ryan's head maid in Chriman." I mentally winced at the horrible lie, "I'd like to think we were friends though." Perry just smiled, "Probably where…how much did Ry mention me?"

"Frequently." I told her with a smile, "She was always telling me how she wanted to come back to see you, and while at first she hated Chriman, and debated escaping numerous times, she realized…she realized she had more reason to stay then to go, she said you and your mother where always the only family she had but then she said how everyone at the, uh palace became her family too. And well she had D-Prince Mark, but when she fell into premature labor…I guess she just couldn't handle it." I didn't realize to half way through my speech I wasn't talking about some fake place at all. I did have a new family I realized, as I looked over to my new friends who stayed together, "She loved you very much." I said finally. Perry smiled for the first time all day, "Thank you." She said finally then walked away.

I had traded one life for another I came to realize as Perry walked away, in my mind every step she took represented another step I took away from my old life. I made my way over to Dick and looked up at him (yes the jerk was _still _taller than me, though now not by nearly as much) "I'm ready to go now." I said to him in hushed tones, my voice hoarse, he simply nodded. He looked over to Artemis who was entertaining some girls who had gone to school with me, we were never that close but I guess they still felt the need to show up and pay respects, which was nice I suppose, and gave her a signal I guess because she just nodded, and Dick placed his hand on the small of my back and guided me out of the reception.

We stepped into the limo driven by Alfred in silence and stayed that way for about five minutes, "Now what?" I asked breaking the tense silence, "We find the rest of the apprentices." He replied, things were getting a bit to dramatic for me, when did my life turn into a soap oprah? "Then what?"

Dick pursed his lips, "Then we find the league then we take down the Thanagarians."

"What about Joker? I thought he was the whole reason I did _this_!" I said gesturing to my body. Dick seemed to have to think about how to answer this, "Ry, yes the masking was primarily because of the Joker for the next time we run into him, but right now we can't go hunting him down, we need to find the others. It's our job as league members, to protect citizens and then protect our own, sense we can't help the general population just yet we have to look out for the others, not everyone has your training, not everyone can protect themselves." He said slowly, "But what if taking down Joker is better for the population, you saw him!" I argued back, "He was just attacking everyone just so he could go out with a bang! And if you don't think he'll try that again, well you're crazier than he is! You may be a member of the league, but I'm not, not yet anyway I still got a bit to go before my life is planned out for me." these words earned me a harsh glare from him.

"Don't ever compare me to that monster again." He said, his voice cold, "Joker has taken a lot from me ok? And I'm sorry Ryan I am but we need to focus more on than just your revenge plot. And you may not be a member yet, but you might as well start acting like one."

"But that's just it Dick, he _is_ a monster! He turned his daughter into a killer and he destroyed my mom!" I shouted. I instantly shut my mouth and looked to the floor, I had no idea where that came from, I had no idea where my mother was, or who she was. For all I know she could be dead. Probably is dead, what she saw in my father I will never know, maybe it was the green hair, the yellow teeth? Damn she had some low standards…

"Ryan?" Dick said in such a gentle voice I had no choice but to look up, "I swear to you after this whole mess is over, after the Thanagarians are gone, after you've joined the League when every thing is back to normal, I'll help you take down Joker myself."

"That's sweet Dick. But what if I can't wait that long, who knows how long this war will last? And I'm not exactly patient."

"We'll work on it together." He rummaged through his pocket and threw something at me. I caught it, but not before flinching which earned me a laugh from Dick. I uncurled my hand to look at the small object it was a necklace, a leather chord and a small pendant, it was silver, no more of a grey? And in the shape of a bird in flight, I couldn't help but laugh, "Flying Grayson?" I asked, "My father had a weird sense of humor, we all had one. That one was mine. It's yours now, I figured it might help, with you know adjusting to your new life." He said awkwardly, Dick may act all cool and Sauvé on the outside but when it came to talking about feelings, he stumbled more than a toddler learning how to walk.

"I love it." I told him honestly, and pulled the long chord over my head, "Perfect." I said, "Wait is tis what you got when we went to Wayne Manor? I said, recalling him leaving briefly to receive a mystery item, he nodded sheepishly. I was about to continue when the car came to a sudden stop and I flew forward, just in time to be caught by Dick, "What the Hell…" he breathed, "shi- we need to go, now!" he said quietly, "What?"

"Thanagarians." He said, still quiet. Under the counter that was apart of the mini bar in the limo, he ran his fingers underneath the smooth surface till his pressed a button that opened a small hole in the floor of the limo but big enough for a grown man to escape through. Beneath the hole was a man hole, Dick then lifted up a seat cushion to reveal two utility belts, on for him and one for Batman I guessed, he put on around his waist and the other, diagonal around his chest and took out something that looked like a heavy duty stapler. He placed it on the man hole cover and the stapler produced two holes that he rand a chord through that was attached to a box that he clipped onto the ceiling of the car and pressed a button that caused the wire to tug on he cover till it popped off, "Ladies first princess." He said gesturing to the dark hole, "These were new shoes too." I said but had no hesitation jumping down the manhole and was quickly followed by Nightwing.

* * *

**A/N: Ok apologies I finally finished this a few days ago but FanFiction wasn't working off safari so I got google chrome for this. I feel bad about the rate the chapters have been going and the chapter numbers got all screwed up this is chapter 3 not four sorry. Oh and I DID NOT COME UP WITH THE TERM OR IDEA FOR MASKING IT IS FROM THE BOOK PAWN BY AIMEE CARTER I FORGOT TO SAY THAT I AM SOOO SORRY**


	4. Chapter 4

**I've been sleepwalking, been wandering all night**

**Trying to take what's lost and broke and make it right**

**I've been sleepwalking too close to the fire**

**But it's the only place that I can hold you tight**

**In this burning house**

**\- Burning House by CAM**

* * *

Ryan POV

I tried not to feel disgusted. I really did, truly but the smell was starting to be enough to make me want to hurl. We'd been wandering to what I had thought to be random twists and turns, but with Dick you never know, but still all of the circular tunnels looked the same to me, from the brown swirling water, to the walls covered in mildew, "Not to complain or anything, but _where are we going_."

"We'll get out about two blocks from the base, then walk above ground and meet with the rest at the base." I sighed and stopped. Dick turned back to face me questioningly, I stooped down to remove my uncomfortable and now ruined shoes, "These were new too." I pouted, "Since when do you care?" He asked confused, "Since the clothes I wore were worth more money then my life." We both started laughing.

I missed moments like this, when we could just joke around and laugh about the stupidest things, "I wouldn't say that, maybe about as much as your dye jobs though." I stuck my tongue out at him and we continued walking in easy conversation. A romantic walk in the sewers with my boyfriend hiding away from dictating bird people. This was the highlight of my week.

* * *

Wonder Woman POV

This is madness. I look around, I see my teammates, my friends, some I'd even consider family, fighting not only for our lives but to save Earth once more. I wield my sword against a mace, being used by a Thanagarian male; we soared through the sky, weaving through not only surrounding fighters but also each other's blows.

"Wonder Woman. Report." Came Batman's voice through my communicator. "Hyahhhh!" I shouted slashing my sword through my Thanagarian opponent. "Batman this is Wonder Woman, and I'm a little preoccupied at the moment." I eyed another enemy flying towards me and I rushed forward to engage in another battle, "Diana I have some news."

"Batman unless what you have to say is life or death I can't really focus on any thing else right- ARGH" The woman I facing against managed to get a well aimed hit in, and with a hit from her shield manages to dislocate my shoulder. She grinned clearly thinking she had just won the match, but in her short victory I thrust my sword forward into her gut, and watched the life leave her eyes, and watched her fall to the ground.

"Diana!" Bruce shouted, "I-I'm alright, just got slightly banged up." I rotated my shoulder back into position, it was still sore, but I would have to ignore it for now. "Diana, the news…you need to hear it now I don't know when the next time I will get a chance to speak to you again…if I will be able to." I couldn't ignore the jump in my chest, I had come to terms about my feelings of the Batman quite a while ago, and while I knew my feelings weren't unrequited Bruce had always been very adamant of not wanting to see anyone, in which I respected his wishes, was he maybe coming to terms with his feelings as well?

My eyes did a quick scan of the area around me I saw we had the upper hand and no one was coming at me at the exact moment, "What is it Bruce?"

"I've received notice from Gotham General…Diana its Ryan…I'm sorry."

_No_.

Before I realized what I was doing, I was drifting towards the ground and I landed on my knees, I had responded to the news yet…I felt red hot angry tears spill down my face until I threw my head up to the sky and unleashed a scream So un-human that a few of the battles in the air had ceased, they would pay…all of them, I thrust myself into the air and unleashed my rage.

_For Ryan._

* * *

Ryan POV

Sweet, sweet, sky. Those were my only thoughts as Dick a I remerged in some ally way in North Gotham. Dick and I walked in silence trying not to draw to much attention to us, but not without holding hands at the very least, I mean one must keep up appearances. But after a block I got bored, "What do you think the league is doing right now?" Dick looked at me like I hit my head, "Fighting against the Thanagarians of course." He replied, "Well obviously," I stated, "but I mean like, what do you think they're _doing_?" He gave me a confused look, "Are they dividing and conquering? Are they infiltrating a base right now, are they just going for it and duking it out?"

"Most likely dividing and conquering, it's what Batman would do. Have some groups Go into a free for all, to reduce the enemy size, while a few other groups with members that specialize in infiltration techniques or those who have…_abilities_ may be beneficial, will be breaking into the base gathering Intel, finding out any weak spots in the Thanagarians plans, finding ways in and out, finding ways to take them down."

I gave him a look for someone who didn't have any connection to the league, that was a very detailed description of what could possibly be happening on the flip side, he seemed to have caught on to what I was thinking, because the next words out of his mouth were, "Hey I trained with Bats for most of my life, I picked up on the guys habits and let's be honest if anyone is leading this its him." I nodded my head, this made sense.

"You are going to need a name."

"Excuse me?"

Dick turned his head toward me, "Ry, you 'died' you, you're going to need a fake name to go by."

An idea dawned on me, "Ok, help me pick one then, my only rules, it can't be awful and it needs to start with M."

* * *

**A/N: Holy shit on a stick am I sorry...this chapter is shorter because it took me forever to get this far I didn't know how long it would take to get farther..on the bright side I have an idea on where this story is going now i just hope I can put my ideas to paper...or screen in this case**


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